Dracut Fire Department and Mutual Aid Partners Extinguish 3-Alarm House Fire Amid High Heat and Humidity

DRACUT — The Dracut Fire Department and mutual aid partners worked in high heat and humidity Tuesday to extinguish a 3-alarm fire at a home on Salem Road that was located approximately 2,000 feet from the nearest working fire hydrant.

At approximately 6 p.m. on July 14, the Dracut Fire Department was called to 180 Salem Road for a report of a possible structure fire.

Companies arrived to find heavy fire showing from the rear of a 1 1/2-story home. Firefighters conducted an initial search of the building to ensure that no one was home.

Firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack while crews simultaneously worked outside the home. However, the nearest working fire hydrant was approximately 2,000 feet away, prompting Chief Michael Cunha to strike a second and third alarm to bring additional personnel and apparatus to the scene.

Firefighters stretched approximately 2,000 feet of large-diameter hose to establish a water supply while tankers from Hudson, Tyngsborough and Windham Fire shuttled water to Dracut Engine 2.

As conditions inside the home deteriorated, crews were forced to transition to a defensive attack from outside the structure.

The roof and portions of the floor ultimately collapsed as the fire spread through the home. Firefighters worked in short shifts to avoid heat injury while working amid high humidity and approximately 90-degree temperatures.

Pridestar Trinity EMS established a rehabilitation area, providing water, cold towels and ice packs to firefighters working in the extreme heat. One firefighter was treated on scene for heat exhaustion, but he did not require transport to the hospital.

Companies remained on scene through much of the night extinguishing hot spots.

Firefighters from Lowell, Tyngsborough, Methuen, Lawrence, and Pelham, Hudson, Windham and Salem, N.H., provided mutual aid at the scene. Firefighters from Lowell and Tyngsborough covered Dracut stations.

The home is a total loss.

The cause remains under investigation by the Dracut Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit and the Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

“I want to commend our firefighters and our mutual aid partners for their outstanding work under extremely challenging conditions,” said Chief Cunha. “The distance to the nearest working hydrant and the extreme heat made this a difficult fire, but crews worked together to bring it under control. Their professionalism, teamwork, and commitment to both the safety of the public and one another exemplify the very best of the fire service.”